Wayne Bovier, CEO, Higher Digital

A brief kickoff on why higher ed needs less theory and more action — and how this event delivers just that.

Keynote with Ian F. McNeely, Author of  The University Unfettered (2025)  

In an era defined by disruption, shrinking budgets, shifting expectations, and surging demands for accountability, public universities have quietly become some of the most resilient institutions in society.

In this keynote, historian and higher ed expert Ian F. McNeely unpacks what a decade of transformation reveals about leadership, governance, and institutional grit. Drawing from his latest book  The University Unfettered, McNeely offers a candid look at how real change happens—not through flashy innovation, but through discipline, purpose, and often-overlooked structural reform. This is a session for anyone who believes higher ed isn’t broken, it’s evolving.

Speaker Bio:

Ian F. McNeely is Professor of History and Senior Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. A leading voice on the evolution of higher education, he is the author of The University Unfettered: Public Higher Education in an Age of Disruption (2025). Drawing on decades inside academic leadership, McNeely combines scholarly depth with firsthand experience navigating governance, politics, and institutional change. His work reveals how universities adapt to economic and cultural pressures, not through sweeping mandates, but through the everyday choices of those who lead, teach, and serve within them.

McNeely’s grounded yet visionary perspective makes him a fitting keynote for Higher Digital’s inaugural TRANSFORMED Live conference. His insights speak directly to the event’s purpose: helping higher education leaders confront disruption with clarity, confidence, and collaboration. With both historical context and practical guidance, McNeely offers a timely, inspiring framework for how institutions can renew themselves from within.

Panelists: Mary Papazian, Fred Rocha, and Gary Moser
Moderator: Joe Gottlieb, President, Higher Digital

Why so many strategies stall before execution — and what institutions are doing to build governance structures that actually drive results.

Mary Papazian

Fred Rocha

Gary Moser

Joe Gottlieb

What happens when outdated systems, AI expectations, and real institutional needs collide? In this rapid-fire session, four leading edtech innovators share bold, practical ideas for helping institutions cut through complexity and move faster — without losing sight of strategy.

Each speaker gets 5 minutes. No pitch decks. Just real talk.

Ready Education

Speaker: Jami Moreshed, SVP Ready Education

Talk Title: Fix the Front Door: What Students Are Actually Telling You

Drawing from data across 700+ institutions, Ready shares insights into the engagement gaps that push students away — and how mobile-first, student-first tools can fix them.

Invoke Learning

Speaker: Brendan Aldrich, Co-Founder

Talk Title: AI Without the Guesswork: Why Student Success Starts with Smarter Data Management

Before AI can drive impact, institutions need to unify their data. Learn how data lakes and behavioral signal processing are giving colleges a clear path to early intervention—without needing a team of data scientists.

Evisions

Speaker: Joe Potenza, CEO

Talk Title: From Reports to Results: Unlocking the Value of Your Institutional Data

See how Evisions helps campuses close the loop between data access and decision-making, turning compliance tools into transformation tools.  

Speakers: Amy Shaw & Kali Armitage

What happens when you truly listen to your campus community? Through comprehensive UX Research engagements, the University of Idaho has turned feedback into action—simplifying workflows, improving communication, and creating a more seamless experience across systems. Join us to learn how empathy, data, and design thinking combine to drive real change.

Amy Shaw

Kali Armitage

Guests:  James Crooks, CIO of Durham University, Paul Butler, Univ. of Greenwich

Moderator: Michael Agnew

A candid conversation on where leadership alignment breaks down — and what each side needs to do to drive change together.

James Crooks

Paul Butler

Michael Agnew

Wayne Bovier

Key takeaways, clear next steps, and an invitation to continue the conversation through TRANSFORMED and Higher Digital’s transformation resources.